Space Marines
Chapter in Power Armour.]] Foremost amongst the defenders of mankind are the Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes, the greatest of the God-Emperor's soldiers. They are barely human at all, but superhuman; having been made superior in all respects to a normal man by a harsh regime of genetic modification, psycho-conditioning and rigorous training. Space Marines are untouched by plague or any natural disease and can suffer wounds that would kill a lesser being several times over, and live to fight again. Clad in Power Armour and wielding the most potent weapons known to man, the Space Marines are terrifying foes and their devotion to the Emperor and the Imperium of Man is unbreakable. They are the God-Emperor's Angels of Death, and they know no fear. Potential Space Marines are usually, but not always, recruited from the worlds where a Chapter has established its fortress-monastery, although some Chapters are known to recruit from a collection of different worlds in an area of space that they protect or frequent. Recruiting methods vary from Chapter to Chapter. Some select their cadets from feral tribes roaming the surface of inhospitable worlds, while others draw upon eager volunteers who have been groomed from birth to become an Astartes. Still others watch and kidnap potential warriors, turning them into Astartes whether they will it or not. Whatever the method, all Space Marine Chapters will only accept those who successfully pass the grueling initiation trials and prove themselves worthy of becoming a Space Marine. Regardless of how a man becomes a Space Marine is irrelevant: once his body has been forged into that of a superhuman Astartes, he must forever stand apart from the people to whom he was once kin and who he is now sworn to protect. Once a man becomes a Space Marine, he is no longer mortal; his genetic heritage is now that of the Emperor himself, and a spark of the same majesty flows in his veins. There are approximately 1,000 Space Marine Chapters active in the Imperium of Man at any one time since the Second Founding when the First Founding Space Marine Legions were broken up; this number is far from exact and may fluctuate widely. Space Marine Recruitment Gene-Seed The gene-seed of an Adeptus Astartes Space Marine is the foreign genetic material originally engineered using one of the Primarchs' genomes as a foundation that develops into the special organs that are then implanted into a potential Space Marine's body. These organs created from the gene-seed are responsible for most of a Space Marine's physical enhancements over baseline human capability. All Space Marine gene-seed was originally cultivated by the Emperor himself from the DNA of the Emperor's 20 genetically-engineered sons (each son being the Primarch of one of the 20 Space Marine Legions of the First Founding), and is a rare and precious resource for the Space Marines of the Imperium, even in death. The biotechnology necessary to create new gene-seed has long been forgotten or lost to humanity; therefore, it must be cultivated from dead/dying Astartes warriors and returned to the Chapter's Apothecaries who will oversee the creation of new Astartes from the Chapter's raw recruits. The gene-seed is the very essence of a Space Marine Chapter and it carries each of the characteristics that are particularly unique to a given Chapter, be they mental, physical, spiritual, martial, or cultural. Unfortunately, Space Marine gene-seed is vulnerable to mutations over time, which can phenotypically manifest in various ways. In addition, there are various genetic flaws which have developed in the gene-seed, the majority of which derive from the particularities of each Primarch's genetic code. Hence the flaws in the Blood Angels' gene-seed (specifically their susceptibility to the conditions known as the Black Rage and the Red Thirst), the "Mark of the Wulfen" for the Space Wolves or the rapidly increasing rate of mutation within the Renegade Soul Drinkers Chapter. It must also be noted that the presently existing Space Marine Chapters are more numerous than the original 20 Space Marine Legions, excluding those Legions that are no longer recorded or were removed from Imperial records. Only the original Legions that remained loyal to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy produced the numerous Space Marine Chapters of the Second Founding who share traits with their founder Chapter, itself the remnant of one of the original Loyalist Legions. During the recruitment and enhancement process, some recruits may not survive the initial rigours of training and the later medical treatments one must undergo to become a full-fledged Battle-Brother. First and foremost, a potential Space Marine recruit must be male, as the gene-seed and the developing Space Marine organ zygotes are compatible only with male hormones. The three following requirements also apply: *Space Marine recruits must be adolescents or very young adults, as the implants must be able to coordinate with a human male's natural growth hormones during adolescence to stimulate the growth and development of the various unique physiological features of a Space Marine. In specific terms, the recruit must be about 10-16 Terran standard years of age. *Much like a blood transfusion or organ transplant, there must be genetic compatibility between the recruit and the implants; otherwise organ failure may result, causing the recruit to die or simply degenerate into a state of madness. *The mental state of a potential space Marine must also be susceptible to the various training and psycho-conditioning regimes of the Chapter, and cannot be tainted by the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. These three main criteria bar all except a minuscule percentage of human males within the Imperium of Man from becoming Space Marines. If all the tests prove successful, the potential Space Marine becomes a Neophyte or Scout Marine, depending on the Chapter's individual organization. The recruit is then taken to live at the Chapter's fortress-monastery where he is instructed in the ways of battle and taught the values and history of the Chapter. At this stage, organ implantation, psycho-conditioning, and physical training begin. Each step in this stage has its own dangers, ensuring that only the truly worthy recruits become Space Marines. After several years of training, conditioning, and implantation surgeries the Neophyte becomes a Space Marine, undergoes his Rites of Fire, and becomes a fully-fledged Battle-Brother of his Chapter. Implantation Nineteen genetically-engineered organs grown from the Chapter's gene-seed are implanted in a Neophyte's body to further bolster his combat and survival ability should he live to become a Brother-Marine. Each implant has a high margin of catastrophic failure and physiological rejection and so only a small number of Neophytes live to become Initiates. Many Chapters have lost the knowledge needed to create some of these implants, and therefore, must ensure these are recovered from dead Brother-Marines. Amongst the crucial implants are the Black Carapace and the Progenoid Glands, without which, a Chapter would die out fairly quickly. *Secondary Heart - This is the first and least difficult implant to install. The Secondary Heart increases blood supply and pumping capacity and is capable of taking over entirely should the primary heart fail. It may also pump steroids into the 1st heart to give the Marine an extra "rush" on the battlefield. *Ossmudula - This implant strengthens the skeleton of a Space Marine by inducing the bones to absorb a ceramic-based substance administered in a Marine's diet. Within two years after the surgery, the Marine's skeleton will be larger and exponentially stronger than a normal man's; and the rib cage will be fused into a solid bone plate. *Biscopea - Implanted into the chest cavity, this implant massively bolsters muscle development and fiber density throughout the Marine's body by unleashing a wave of hormones. This is commonly implanted at the same time as the Ossmodula. *Haemastamen - Implanted into a main blood vessel like the aorta, femoral artery or vena cava, the Haemastamen alters the Marine's blood composition to carry oxygen and nutrients more efficiently. *Larraman's Organ - This organ manufactures Larraman Cells. These serve the same purpose as the baseline human body's platelets, but act faster and more effectively. When a Space Marine is wounded, Larraman Cells are released, attached to his leukocytes. At the site of the injury, they form scar tissue in a matter of seconds, effectively preventing massive blood loss and infection. *Catalepsean Node - Implanted into the back of the brain, this implant allows a Marine to avoid sleep, instead entering an almost comatose trance where they "recharge". It also allows the resting of half the brain while the other remains alert, thus removing the need for total sleep. The longest known record of any Space Marine going without rest while on active combat duty is 319 hours by a member of the Dark Angels. *Preomnor - The Preomnor is a decontamination chamber inside the chest cavity. It is capable of chemically analyzing ingested materials and neutralizing most known toxins. The Preomnor enables the Marine to eat normally inedible substances and resist poisons. *Omophagea - Implanted into the upper spinal cord, this organ is designed to absorb information and DNA related to experience or memory. This enables the Marine to gain information, in a survival or tactical sense, simply by eating an animal indigenous to an alien world. *Multi-lung - The multi-lung is a third lung, able to absorb oxygen from environments usually too poor in oxygen to allow normal human functioning. Breathing is accomplished through a sphincter in the trachea, allowing all three lungs to be used at full capacity. In toxic environments, a similar muscle closes off the normal lungs, thus oxygen is absorbed exclusively by the multi-lung which filters out poisonous elements. *Occulobe - Essentially, this organ enhances a Marine's eyesight, granting him exceptional vision and the ability to see normally in a low-light environment. *Lyman's Ear - This implant renders a Marine immune to dizziness and nausea(seeCochlea), and enables a Marine to consciously filter out "white noise". *Sus-an Membrane - This implant allows a Marine to enter a catatonic or "suspended animation" state. It can allow a mortally wounded Space Marine to survive his injuries, and bring the metabolism to a standstill. The longest recorded period of this state was with Brother Silas Err of the Dark Angels for 567 years. *Melanochrome - Linked to pigment cells in the skin, this allows the Marine's skin to shield him from otherwise dangerous levels of radiation and heat. *Oolitic Kidney - This organ works in conjunction with the Preomnor, filtering the blood to remove toxins. *Neuroglottis - This organ implanted in the mouth allows a Marine to assess a wide variety of things simply by taste. From poisons to chemicals to animals, a Marine can even track his quarry by taste alone. *Mucranoid - Altering the Marine's sweat glands, this organ causes the secretion of an oily substance that coats the skin when necessary, protecting it from extreme temperatures and to some extent, even vacuum environments. *Betcher's Gland - Implanted into multiple locations inside a Marine's mouth, these glands transform a Marine's saliva into corrosive, blinding acid when triggered. A Marine trapped behind iron bars would be able to chew his way out given a few hours. *Progenoid Glands - Implanted into both the neck and chest cavity, these glands serve to collect and cultivate the gene-seed from a Space Marine's body, and to safeguard it for the continuity of a Chapter. The neck gland is removed upon 5 years, and the chest gland upon 10 years; both are then used to create new organs for new Space Marines. *The Black Carapace - The last and possibly most important of all implants, this neuroreactive material is implanted directly under the skin in the chest area. Invasive fibre bundles then grow inward and interlink with the Marine's own nervous system. Points pre-cut into the Carapace are effectively connection points, allowing a Marine to directly interface with his suit of Power Armour. Space Marine Power Armour Scout Armour This type of armour is usually only worn by Scout Marines. Given that their Black Carapace has yet to mature, they are still unable to interface with Space Marine power armour, so are instead allowed to wear a suit consisting of carbon-titanium composite plates. This is still capable of stopping the majority of small-arms fire. In times of relative peace, full Battle Brothers of certain Chapters may take to wearing Scout Armour during periods outside of battle. In games of Warhammer 40,000, scout armour confers a saving throw of 4+, making scouts a fairly resilient unit. Scout armour is a carapace-built heavy armour that is also worn by Kaskrin Stormtroopers and Vostroyans. Power Armour Possibly the most prominent feature of the Space Marines is their power armour which is a synthesis of many technologies that pre-date even the Age of Strife, stretching back into the Dark Age of Technology. The suit is comprised of multiple custom-crafted ceramite plates with armored fiber bundles and servos that replicate the wearer's movements and enhances a Space Marine's already superhuman strength, as well as allowing them to easily withstand brutal attacks that would rip a normal human apart. The armor itself can also act as a self-containing environment for the suit's owner, protecting the Space Marine from anything in the environment, including the dark vacuum of deep space and the most toxic planetary environments that the universe can provide. The armor interacts with the Space Marine through the Black Carapace, a subcutaneous membrane grown from the gene-seed that allows the Marine's internal organs and nervous system to interface directly with the suit of power armor, making the armor in essence an extension of the wearer's body. The most current Space Marine power armor model is the Mark VII or Aquila pattern and remains the most mainstream suit of power armor in use by the Space Marine Chapters. However, it is not uncommon for parts of older armor models to be used to replace damaged areas of a Mark VII suit as this saves precious resources. An example of this type of retrofitting is that some Marines are known to have rivets on certain parts of their power armor. These pieces are from the Crusade pattern armor that dates back to the time of the Great Crusade ten millenia ago. These patched suits of power armor protect their wearers just as well as their updated counterparts since the only real change in power armor models are the auxiliary systems. What few know is that each Space Marine's suit of power armor is so specific to its wearer that it cannot be worn by 2 different Marines. So precious is his armor that each Space Marine swears solemn oaths to honor and maintain its individual machine spirit. Terminator Armour Tactical Dreadnought ("Terminator") Armour is one of the strongest forms of personal power armor in existence and it is the heaviest and most resilient model the Imperium has to offer. It was developed for a mid-range of uses between dreadnought armor and standard power armor. It is composed of a ceramite plasteel alloy as an exoskeleton with servo-assisted interfaces with the user's own neurological and muscular systems to enhance movement. It is able to withstand tremendous punishment, and serves as a solid heavy-weapons platform in open-field combat. Due to its size, it is best deployed in close quarters such as the corridors of a starship, where the standard-issue storm bolter can be most effective. The First Company of each Space Marine Chapter uses Terminator Armor, and only those Marines who earn the "Crux Terminatus" are permitted to wear this precious and rare model of power armor. In games of Warhammer 40,000, Terminator Armor confers a 2+ armor save and a 5+ invulnerable save. Artificer Armour Artificer Armour is the name given to individualized and heavily modified suits of power armor provided only to Space Marines who have proven themselves worthy of the honor. Artificer Armor is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, offering its wearer nearly as much protection as Terminator Armor. In game terms, it gives its wearer 2+ save, but a model in Artificer Armor cannot use weapons as powerful as a model in Terminator Armor. Vehicles The Adeptus Astartes have access to some of the most powerful and rarest vehicles in the Imperium. They are all treated as holy relics, and lovingly maintained by the Chapter's Techpriests. Many vehicles are ancient STC designs, barely understood by the current Adeptus Mechanicus. Dreadnought The greatest of Marines who fall in battle with grievous and often life-threatening wounds are placed into a cybernetic Dreadnought that allows the pilot to live through a sophisticated array of life support machines. The pilot of the Dreadnought is hooked straight into the Dreadnought's systems to preserve him and allows the Marine to control the Dreadnought as if it were his own body. It is a great honor to be deemed worthy enough to enter a Dreadnought and keep fighting in the Emperor's name for many more millenia, as the knowledge to create new Dreadnoughts has been lost over the long centuries. Some Marines that have been placed in the great Dreadnoughts have been around since the Emperor himself still walked among his people during the Great Crusade. When the Dreadnoughts are not needed by the Chapter, they are placed back into the Chapter's chapel to sleep away the centuries until they are needed once more. Rhino A fast troop transport, a Rhino APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) can hold up to ten Space Marines, not including the two crew members who drive and operate it. The chassis of the Rhino is very versatile, and serves as the basis for some of the other Space Marine vehicles. The Rhino can have pintle-mounted weapons. Razorback A Razorback is a variant of the Rhino chassis that sacrifices some troop capacity for additional firepower. Razorbacks are commonly mounted with twin-linked heavy bolters or twin-linked lascannons on a single turret on the chassis, and are excellent for firepower to smaller squads. They can, however, also utilize Assault Cannons, or Multi-Meltas. With the addition of the turret, troop capacity is limited to six Marines. Predator The Predator is a heavily-armored Rhino variant that is used as a light tank by Space Marine Chapters. With the added weapons it offers there is no space remaining for troop transport. Armed with either an autocannon or twin-linked lascannons on its main turret, it can also have heavy bolters or lascannons mounted on sponsoons to either side as well. The Blood Angels Company is one exception in that they have been known to field a 'Baal' variant of the Predator. The Baal Predator is equipped with a twin-linked Assault Cannon on its main turret and single Heavy Flamers or Heavy Bolter mounted to either side on sponsoons as well. Whirlwind Being a mobile force, the Space Marines have little need for artillery. However, when it is called for, they can utilize the Whirlwind, which is another Rhino variant armed with a long-range missile pod, and can bombard enemy positions in preparation for attack. Whirlwinds offer two types of ammunition in the forms of Frag and Krak missiles, depending on the threat they will engage. As with the Predator, there is no room left inside these tanks for troop transportation, after they are outfitted. Vindicator When attacking fortified positions, Space Marines use a Vindicator, another Rhino variant, which fills nearly the entire Rhino chassis with the massive, snub-nosed "Demolisher Cannon", capable of blasting through the thickest walls. This weapon has proven so effective that the Iron Warriors Traitor Legion makes it a point to scavenge these for their own use whenever possible. Land Speeder Incredibly fast, the double-seated Land Speeder ground-effect vehicle is used to attack enemy fortifications and heavy weapons from the air. Although it is well-armed, it has little armor and relies on speed and rapid strikes for protection. Its other variants include: * The Tornado: The Tornado pattern Land Speeder mounts twice as many heavy weapons as the basic Land Speeder and can also choose from a wider variety of weapons, able to mount an assault cannon or a heavy flamer. * The Typhoon:'''The Land Speeder Typhoon, is extraordinary at anti-personnel actions on the battlefield. The Typhoon mounts a twin-linked Typhoon Missile Launcher. The Typhoon missile inflicts a hard hit with the Blast template at long range and rarely misses since it is twin-linked. The Typhoon variant's only real drawback is its lack of versatility - the Typhoon missile launcher is excellent at destroying infantry or light vehicles, but almost useless against even medium armour such as the Eldar Falcon or Tau Devilfish. * '''The Tempest: Sporting better armour, an assault cannon, and a twin-linked missile launcher, the Tempest is among the most feared versions of the Land Speeder. The Tempest has a difficult combination of weapons - the assault cannon has a medium range while the missile launcher fires out to a decently long range in comparison. Better frontal armour means that the Tempest can usually get in close to enemy troops without much worry. Also, Tempests are not upgrade variants like the Tornado and Typhoon. Instead, the Tempest is a separate Fast Attack vehicle option, and normally are only fielded in squadrons of one model. This means a maximum of only three Tempests are fielded in a standard Space Marine army. However, the twin-linked firepower of the Tempest's missile launcher and its increased armour make the Tempest a force to be reckoned with, used regularly for an open Fast Attack choice. The Tempest is no longer available as an option in the most recent Space Marine Codex. * The Storm: The latest of the Landspeeder variants to be introduced into the game, the Storm is a transport vehicle for the exclusive use of the Space Marine Scouts. It sports a larger cargo compartment for the accommodation of five of the aforementioned Scouts, as well as a Jamming Beacon and a Cerberus Launcher. As a trade-off, it can only take one weapon, rather than the usual two, and has fewer choices as to which weapon it will take. Land Raider The Land Raider is one of the most powerful main battle tanks at the Imperium's disposal, and also one of the rarest. A Chapter is lucky to have more than five at its disposal. It can transport troops into battle, carries enough weapons to blast its way though nearly any defense, and has armor thick enough to withstand massive amounts of firepower. The normal Land Raider pattern is called the Phobos. It carries a hull-mounted, twin-linked heavy bolter able to turn light infantry into sludge. It also carries two twin-linked "Godhammer" pattern Lascannons in its two side sponsoons, making the Land Raider an extremely formidable foe for armored vehicles, able to stand up for itself in any fight against another vehicle, and come out victorious almost all of the time. Land Raiders are also equipped with a "Machine Spirit", an Artificial Intelligence crafted by the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Machine Spirit is smart enough to move the tank and fight even without a crew. It enables the tank to move even when the crew has been stunned, and is able to operate one weapon of the player's choice, to shoot at a target. However, the artificial intelligence of the machine spirit is nothing compared to the battle-hardened Space Marine crew of the Land Raider, and as a result, accuracy suffers considerably. Land Raiders were once used by all branches of the Imperium's armed forces. During the Horus Heresy, the Emperor ordered that their use be restricted to the Space Marines, as they were at the forefront of that terrible civil war. The popularity of this mighty war engine was so great, that a whole Forge World, Anvilus 9, was entirely turned over to Land Raider production. But, at the beginning of the Horus Heresy, Anvilus 9 was overrun by Chaos-corrupted techpriests. Other Forge Worlds of the Imperium also ceased to function, either suffering the same fate as Anvilus 9, or became neutral, leaving only a small number of Loyalist Forge Worlds behind, and Land Raider production suddenly slowed to a trickle. With Horus' forces threatening to overrun Terra, the very heart of the Imperium, the Emperor decreed that all Land Raiders still on the Loyalist side were to be for the exclusive use of the Space Marines, who were always at the forefront of the Imperium's cause. Once the Horus Heresy had been crushed with the sacrifice of the Emperor, the decree of exclusive use of the Land Raiders by the Adeptus Astartes remained in place, as none dared to revoke his most holy commandments. Thus, the decree has remained in place for the last ten thousand years. Land Raider Crusader The Land Raider Crusader is nearly identical to the standard Land Raider, but is armed to provide short-ranged, anti-infantry support. The Crusader was originally developed by the Black Templars Chapter, but was eventually authorized for use by other Chapters (who, it should be noted, had already been using them for some time beforehand.) All Chapters are now only allowed to have 1 in their army, except the Black Templars. The Land Raider Crusader is armed with a hull-mounted twin-linked Assault Cannon turret, and sponsoon-mounted Hurricane Bolters (essentially six bolters linked together). It is also equipped with a Multi-Melta to burn through armored walls, and its front is studded with fragmentation launchers to assist the troops disembarking from its front ramp. The removal of the lascannon sponsoons allows for greater troop capacity. The Crusader may transport 8 Marines in Terminator Armor, or 15 Marines in standard Mark VII power armor. Land Raider Redeemer The Land Raider Redeemer is an evolution of the Crusader, created by the Salamanders Chapter. The Redeemer retains the assault cannon and frag launchers of the Crusader, but replaces the Hurricane Bolter sponsoons with flame projectors. These Flamestorm Cannons are able to purge even a well-defended bunker complex in seconds. Land Raider Terminus Ultra Released in the Apocalypse series, the Land Raider Terminus Ultra Pattern is one of the Imperium's best tanks. It is a Land Raider with 2 side-mounted twin-Linked lascannons, 2 side-mounted single-linked lascannons, and a twin-linked lascannon on the roof. The only downside to this vehicle is that it can't carry troops, yet its sheer fire power fully makes up for it. Space Marine Chapters First Founding The Space Marines were originally divided into 20 large Legions, each Legion filled with Space Marines whose gene-seed was based on genetic material from one of the original Primarchs. When 18 of the Primarchs were rediscovered during the Great Crusade, they became the leaders of the Legion genetically related to them. During the Horus Heresy half of the Legions turned traitor to the Imperium and swore themselves to the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. Loyalists Those Legions that remained loyal to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy were known as Loyalists. They were subsequently each split up into smaller Chapters of only 1,000 Space Marines each, one of which retained the name of the original Space Marine Legion. Traitor Legions These Space Marine Legions sided with Horus and the forces of Chaos in the Horus Heresy. After their defeat they fled into the Eye of Terror and became the Chaos Space Marines. Note - the Traitor Legions' homeworlds were later destroyed, with the exception of the Alpha Legion's homeworld which was never discovered. Unknown There are two other First Founding Legions whose names and histories are totally unknown. Following the Horus Heresy all historical records mentioning these Legions were revised or destroyed, in order to erase them from Imperial history. Given the authoritarian nature of the Imperium, it seems likely these Legions were completely removed from all historical records for some sort of castrophe such as mass mutation which couldn't be controlled, turning to the worship of the Chaos Gods, etc. Later Foundings After the Horus Heresy, it was determined that the Legions were too powerful and dangerous to the stability of the Imperium to be controlled by any one man. In what is known as the Second Founding, the remaining Loyalist Legions were broken up into the separate 1,000-man Chapters which remain the primary organization of the Adeptus Astartes to this day. In the multiple subsequent Successor Foundings that have occurred since, the Imperium has created many new Chapters of Space Marines, using gene-seed sampled by the Adeptus Mechanicus from the existing ones. Many of these Successor Chapters still keep the memory of their progenitor Legion or Chapter alive in their rituals and regalia, and maintain the same methods of operation and battle, as well as their overall defining cultural and genetic traits. Examples of Successor Space Marine Chapters include: * Astral Claws: A Chapter led into service to Chaos by their traitorous Chapter Master, igniting the Badab War. They currently form a group of rebel Traitor Marines known as the Red Corsairs, who ruthlessly attack supply lines in the name of Chaos. * Black Templars * Crimson Fists * Doom Eagles * Executioners * Fire Hawks * Flesh Tearers * Howling Griffons * Lamenters: An unfortunate Chapter who fought on the losing side in the Badab War, before being devastated by the Tyranids. * Mantis Legion * Marines Errant * Marines Malevolent * Raptors: Successors of the Raven Guard who specialize in jungle warfare. * Relictors: A radical Chapter that utilises the weapons of Chaos to destroy the minions of Chaos themselves. This brings them into conflict with the Puritan members of the Inquisition but ironically also finds them favour with Radical Inquisitors. * Scythes of the Emperor: A Chapter of Space Marines who were all but destroyed by the Tyranids. Their armour was black and yellow, with a yellow scythe symbol on the shoulder panels. * Sons of Guilliman: A Chapter that originally was a part of the Ultramarines. * Soul Drinkers : A Chapter loyal to the Emperor, but not to the Imperium which they view as unalterably corrupt; the Chapter is afflicted with mutating gene-seed. * Subjugators * White Consuls * Iron Snakes: A newer Chapter of Space Marines created by novelist Dan Abnett For a list of all the known Space Marine Chapters see List of Space Marine Chapters. Honors and Badges Purity Seal The Purity Seal is often awarded to Marines who show themselves to be "morally pure" by their words and deeds. Also, before a campaign, the Chapter's Chaplains will mark certain individuals with litanies. Each seal has a different blessing or invocation from one of the Chapter's Chaplains and is often replaced with a more permanent electrum casting of the seal after battle. Marksman's Honor This device is the Marksman's Honor. Acts of remarkably accurate shooting or consistent performance with targeting are honored with this award. The Codex Astartes insists that those warriors who prove their accuracy in combat should be singled out so that their skill may be instantly commanded when necessary. The badges themselves are believed to have been constructed by taking gold bolter shells cases, fired in battle from the boltgun of Roboute Guilliman himself, and encasing them in the award. Imperial Laurel The Imperial Laurel denotes Veteran status and is awarded to Space Marines who perform "acts of valor leading to great victory" or "an act of extreme bravery". It is often sculpted onto the helmet or worn as a crown; the Wreathed Skull is another common design variation. The Codex Astartes states that all Company Standards be carried into battle by warriors who have proven themselves, so all bearers must first wear the Laurels. Terminator Honors The Crux Terminatus, or Terminator Honor Badge is given to Marines who have been trained in the use of Terminator Armor. Sergeants and officers wear variations of the badge to signify their rank. It is said that each of these badges has a fragment of the Emperor's own power armor within it. Skull and Motto In Imperial iconography, the skull is incorporated into many devices, representing the Emperor's sacrifice for humanity. The Skull and Motto is one example. It is used when the other specified honor badges would be inappropriate, and often the motto is simply one word. The badge can be found on shoulder pads, banners, leg armor, and even vehicles. Imperialis The Imperialis was originally the campaign badge used by the Loyalist Space Marine Legions during the Horus Heresy. Over time it has evolved into the "honor of righteous victory" and is awarded to any Space Marines who has participated in an honoured victory for his Chapter. Instead of being presented as a medal or badge, it is most commonly carved into the deserving Space Marine's chest armor, replacing the armour's standard Imperial Aquila symbol. It can also be seen engraved on the weapons of Marines who have earned the badge, but can also be found on banners or atop their heraldry finnials. It is intended to represent both the Imperium as a whole with the wings of the Aquila and the Emperor's sacrifice for humanity, which is embodied in the skull icon Iron Skull The Iron Skull is the Codex Astartes insignia for the Sergeants who command Space Marine squads, and is displayed on the helmet and/or shoulder pad of the Marine as a sign of his rank. Generally accepted convention is that a red skull device is used to represent it. It is awarded for the display of true leadership. Iron Halo The Iron Halo is awarded to Marines that show "exceptional initiative". It is the Codex Astartes insignia for Squad leaders, and is displayed on the helmet and/or shoulder pad of the Marine as a sign of rank. Prime Helix The Prime Helix is the symbol of the Apothecarion, worn by Marine Medics. The design represents the Gene-seed DNA, and the scarlet color of the Helix represents the ultimate sacrifice that every Marine is willing to make. Machina Opus This is the mark of a Tech-priest Adept. It is awarded to each Techmarine as he completes his mysterious training with the Adeptus Mechanicus on Mars. Bearers of the Machina Opus are accorded great respect by the Tech-priests and are alloweed free passage through the Ring of Iron and into the great workshops of the Martian Hive. Only a Chapter's Techmarines and their equipment are permitted to display this sacred icon of the Machine Cult. Service Studs These are small metal rivets that are attached directly to the Marine' cranium to record his years of service to his Chapter. A single stud records 10, 50 or 100 standard Terran years of service depending on its design and the Chapter's traditions. The awarding of service studs is described in the Codex Astartes but is not set out as an official requirement or regulation of the Chapter. In rcent centuries the awarding of service studs has been on the decline as a tradition and fewer Chapters continue the practice. Tattoos Tattoos are not official Chapter honours but traditional markings derived from the Chapter's ancient practices. Some tattoos may even be vestiges of of pre-Space Marine tribal markings or hive city gang affiliations. Space Marines are recruited from hundreds of different human cultures across the galaxy so it is no surprise to see this diversity reflected in some Marines retaining the tattoos, scarification or warpaint of their homeworld. External links *Bolter and Chainsword - Space Marines discussion board *Liber Astartes - Space Marine chapter listings *Miniwargaming-A place to talk about 40K. *Games-Workshop-The makers of Warhammer 40K. *Wargame Tactics for Space Marines - A Wiki site for Space Marine Tactics. Sources *''Codex Imperialis'', by Rick Priestley *''Codex Ultramarines'' (for 2nd edition), by Rick Priestley *''Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition)'' *''White Dwarf 98'' (1988), Chapter Approved: The Origin of the Legiones Astartes by Rick Priestley, reprinted at: **http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/initiation/2 The Creation of a Space Marine Category:Adepts Category:S Category:Space Marines